The other side of camera

The actor, who had worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali as an assistant director for ‘Black’ before starting his acting career, once again found himself with the camera during the shoot of ‘Rockstar’.

Director Imtiaz Ali and team were shooting a complicated concert sequence in Verona, Italy, with a crowd of almost 1000 people. The on-ground shots required a great deal of coordination and Imtiaz also required aerial shots of the same crowds. However, there was a problem — Imtiaz could not be in two places at the same time and he required every member of his team on the ground with him.

That’s when Imtiaz asked Ranbir to step him. Says a source from the direction team, “Imtiaz has always encouraged Ranbir with his goals. However there were many complications in this shoot.

Firstly, Ranbir has a great fear of heights and this required him to look down from an open chopper thousands of feet above the ground. Secondly, there was be no Indian crew, no camera attendant, just Ranbir and a foreign director of photography.”

Despite these challenges, Ranbir managed to do a great job. “He confidently went on the chopper and got the perfect shots; which are all in the film for us to see,” the source adds.